Someone Who Cares
by Shadowdib
Summary: Malik's other half is sick, and it's still a bit of a strange experience to have someone who cares enough to take care of him. Post-canon, Malik and Yami Malik share a body. Light Deathshipping.


They were sick.

Which meant that _he _was sick.

On one hand, Malik trusted enough to let him out for longer periods of time now, but on the other, why did it have to be about _this_? He didn't like vomit any more than Malik did. He curled the blanket closer and hit the remote with his elbow, changing the channel to some mindless high-energy game show.

His head was on fire, sweat dripping down his back made his scars hurt, and his mouth still tasted like bile from the remains of breakfast currently washed down the sink.

The doorbell rang, and he groaned, tugging the blanket around his overheated body like a shield and refusing to answer.

It rang again, before the knocking started. "I know you're in there, Malik, your motorcycle is parked outside and Bakura's still passed out on the couch!"

Oh. Ryou.

"Okay, I'm coming in." There were a few clicks and frustrated grunts before the door swung open, and Ryou pulled something out of the lock, settling it back into his hair.

"Thanks for asking." He said sourly.

"You said I could come over today, work's been boring and I was looking forward to-" Ryou thumped his backpack down on the counter, before really looking over. "Oh, geez, you look terrible."

"How kind of you to notice." His stomach rolled, but there was nothing left in it, so he just gagged nasty-tasting spit into the bucket next to him.

"You could have rescheduled." Ryou strode over, brushing a hand under their bangs and pulling away with a wince. "Did Malik not tell you I was coming over?"

Ryou always had a second sense for which of them was fronting, and if he was honest, it was nice as there wasn't shadow magic around to separate their forms physically any more. He shook his head.

"He woke up, rushed over to the bathroom with a fever and a belly feeling like lava, and then pulled back to let me deal."

"Do you know how you got sick?"

He gave a half-shrug. "Not really. We were in the subway a few times yesterday."

"That could have done it, Yugi said that he was over at Jou's trying to get him to take it easy when he got sick just the other day. There's probably something going around." Ryou pulled a hairband out of his pocket, settling down on the couch opposite the bucket and pulling blonde hair back into his usual ponytail. "Want me to make some soup? I'm sure you have something around."

"No, you don't have to-"

Ryou smiled. "I insist. Did I wake you up?"

He shook his head. "Can't sleep when I'm this hot."

"You're always hot." Ryou patted his cheek and stood up, and it wasn't until he was in the kitchen that he realized that Ryou had been flirting, and if his cheeks hadn't already been burning, they would have flushed.

"I'll make miso soup for both of us, all right? You have the ingredients."

"That's… that's fine." He watched Ryou chop up the tofu, swaying his hips to a song that was playing during the game show, and couldn't help a smile creeping across his face. It was… nice, to be taken care of instead of seen as something to get rid of. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to it.

"Anyways, I was coming over to help Malik plan his character for the next campaign, but I'm open if you want to just do something else, especially since you're sick." Ryou said.

"We could watch a movie?" He half-asked, and Ryou turned around to nod.

"Sure. Want me to make some popcorn, or would that upset your stomach?"

He shook his head. "You can make it for yourself."

"Nah, I'd feel weird if it was just me." Ryou started rummaging around in his bag. "Oh, I did bring something for you! I was going to give it to Malik to give to you, but it's good you're out." Ryou pulled out a box, letting the soup simmer while he brought it over.

He let the blanket slip a little as he reached out his hands for it, and Ryou set the box on his palms. It was about the side of a large book, and he shook it for a moment before pulling the ribbon open and tugging the sides open.

Inside was a sketchbook with a phoenix on the cover, along with a few regular lead pencils and a small set of colored pencils.

"I noticed that you tended to scribble on the back of receipts a lot, and… I know you don't really have much, outside of what Malik already does, and you probably don't like all of his stuff, and when I saw it at the store I thought you'd like it-"

He pulled Ryou into a hug, pretending to himself that the tears were from the fever.

"Thank you."

Ryou hugged him back. "Wow, you're warm."

"Didn't you hear? I'm the one who got to rise from the flames this time." He grinned, nuzzling against Ryou's neck for a moment and enjoying how cool his skin felt.

"Want to watch Saw 2?" Ryou asked after a moment, both of them reluctant to be the first to pull away, and he nodded.

"I feel like I'm in the furnace already, might as well see someone else deal with it."

Ryou popped the DVD in, and by the halfway point, Ryou was leaning against his warm shoulder.

He started stroking through Ryou's hair. The trusting way Ryou leaned in closer made his stomach flutter, in a way that felt much better than the sickness that had been cramping it all day, and by the time the movie was over and the bowls of soup were set to the side, both had ended up wrapped in the same blanket and were asleep leaned up against each other.

* * *

A/N: I'd really appreciate feedback on this! I appreciate these two and just want them to be happy... although Ryou will probably end up sick himself from getting snuggly with a sick guy, oops.


End file.
